Established in 1822, the name "Greece" was chosen for this town because of Greece's struggle for independence from the Ottoman Empire -- that may in fact have mirrored the way this New York town felt about becoming independent from Rochester, with which it is contiguous. Put on your toga!
Located in Monroe County, New York, this community is on the border of the much larger community of Rochester, N.Y. Lake Ontario is nearby. This bustling city is considered a suburb of Rochester, which it borders in part, with neighborhoods at the most 5 miles away from this larger enclave.
Moving to Town
Looking for apartments for rent in Greece? You can find rental homes of all kinds, including townhouses for rent and condo rentals here. Just start looking early -- give yourself at least a month, as this is a popular community in which to find a home. In fact, the rental housing supply is tight. Bring you credit report, ID and W2s with you as well, because many landlords require this type of documentation before renting. Look in the local newspaper, use online resources and of course, set out on foot or in the car to examine the neighborhoods of this town for yourself.
Neighborhoods
Greece has many lovely communities to chose from, and benefits from its close proximity to Rochester in terms of retail stores, restaurants, nightlife and culture.
Barnard: Located near Dewey Avenue and Stone Road, this pleasant tree-lined area offers a mix of apartments and single-unit homes to renters and owners.
Grandview Heights: Adjacent to Long Pond, you'll find houses, apartment complexes and townhomes here.
Braddock Bay: Located near the bay itself and a state park, this community is in the northwestern area of town just off the Lake Ontario State Parkway.
North Greece: This suburban neighborhood consists mostly of single-family homes and townhomes. While many are owner occupied, you can find rentals with a careful search. Most homes were built between 1970 and the present.
Life in Greece
The area this community now occupies was settled originally by Native American tribes including the Algonquian and the Iroquois. French explorers passed through in the late 1600s, and settlers arrived in the late 1700s. While the French and British struggled over their colonial ownership of the region, settlers did what settlers do -- they settled in.
Want more history? Check out the Greece Historical Society on Long Pond Road. Among other interesting artifacts, you'll find a cupola from the town's early days. The society produced a book on the area called "Eight Miles Along the Shore" for avid history buffs.
You'll find plenty to do in Greece and the surrounding area. The mall at Greece Ridge Center offers shopping, dining and browsing options from major national stores and unique shops. It is one of the highest volume shopping centers in the United States and includes an 18-plex movie theater.
The Strong Museum offers fantastic programs for kids of all ages and is a lively destination for families.
Nearby, you'll also find the Erie Canal, the Rochester Museum and Science Center and Greece Canal Park. Like green space, history and plenty of culture? A small town feel with proximity to a large metro area? Then Greece is the place to be.
With a new main library facility completed with more than 35,000 square feet for books and media, bookworms can burrow into the Greece Public Library.
The Town Hall campus area includes a major community center that offers senior programs, a 7,800-foot gym, a walking track, dance and activity facilities, and an art room. The parks and rec department of town puts on programs for residents of every age.
And, speaking of recreation, there are 8 miles -- nothing to do with the Eminem film and song "8 Mile," by the way -- of lovely shoreline and a wildlife habitat along the edges of Lake Ontario. There are bike trails, walking trails and plenty of grassy space to relax and picnic on. The bike trail through town reaches from Lake Ontario to the Erie Canal.
Interested in game hunting? That's allowed -- waterfowl, deer and small game are a sportsman carnivore's delight.
The town has 17 parks within its borders, taking up more than 700 acres with only 189 of them developed. Those undeveloped are lovely spots for hiking and exploring. The developed locations offer baseball diamonds, soccer fields, football fields, basketball courts and tennis and volleyball. There is also a skate park, disc golf courses and nature trails. For small tykes, there are 16 playgrounds.
While more than 71% of residents drive their own vehicles, there is public transportation to get you around the town and region. Residents of Greece are covered by the Genesee Regional Transit Authority bus system, which operates throughout the greater Rochester area.
Due to the proximity of the town to the Great Lakes region, seasonal shifts are milder than in other parts of upstate New York, with transitions from fall to winter and spring to summer more gentle and temperate.